Mexican Red Painted Ware’s name derives from the original type definition by Hale Smith, who named it because it appears similar to Aztec redwares. Unglazed, wheel-thrown, red painted or red burnished earthenware vessels, however, were probably made in a variety of American ceramic production centers, including Mexico.

This description of Mexican Red Painted comes from the Historic Archaeology Digital Ceramic Type Collection maintained by the Florida Museum of Natural History.

Buff or reddish sand-tempered paste. Thin, wheel thrown vessels. Smoothed surface covered with red pigment burnishing or painting. Molded and relief designs are sometimes present.